Gedächtnisschwund: Amnesia
by Olleander
Summary: This is the tale of of a girl named Juni, and her struggles as she attempts to break free from the mind that threatens to betray her freedom. She might be out of Shadaloo, but only time will tell if Shadaloo is out of her.
1. Das Erwachen: The Awakening

**Gedächtnisschwund**

_Prologue - __Das Erwachen_

There was a weight on her chest.

It was heavy, but not so much that is pushed down on her. It was noticeable…and also somewhat comforting. What was comfort again? She didn't remember using the word; she was pretty sure it wasn't in her…what was it called again…databank? No, that wasn't right.

**_Comfort [_kuhm_-fert] noun – the state of ease or well-being; something that affords physical ease._**

Slowly, she opened her eyes, the blurred shapes and colours sharpening with each passing second. The resolution of her vision cleared, and instantly, she was greeted with a pair of bright, blue eyes. Pointed ears and a pink nose completed the face, as well as thin whiskers that poked out from its cheeks. The white fur was brushed, smoothed as the object in question stared at her curiously.

**_Felis Catus. The household cat. Threat level minimal unless threatened._**

She gasped slightly; turning her head away from the creature perched on her chest. What did it want from her? Was it going to attack? She was unprepared for something so sudden…but she was always prepared…? No, wait…what did that mean, anyway?

"Naughty kitty…"

The sudden voice shook her out of her processing…no, that term was incorrect. She turned back slightly, watching as red-gloved hands removed the animal from its position, cradling it in the space between the forearm and the torso. Her eyes glanced up, examining the face that the body belonged to.

**_Scanning…_**

"How's our patient doing?" the voice continued. It was so familiar…but where did it come from…"Any pain or discomfort?"

Her eyes darted around the room. Clean, white walls surrounded her, with a tall, metal stand connected a thin tube to her arm. Sparsely decorated…she tried to remember where she was, how she got there, or why her body felt so…heavy.

"Where…where am I…?" she asked, her own voice sounding foreign coming from her own mouth.

"Don't worry…" the blonde woman continued.

**_Scanning…35% complete…_**

"…amnesia can be alarming, trust me, I know, but I'm here for you."

**_Scan incomplete. 40% data retrieved._**

She couldn't put a name to the face. No matter how hard she tried, her…head wouldn't cooperate. But…something about her was…comforting. Yes, that was the right word. For some reason, she felt she could trust this woman…and that she knew her from before. She was an ally, whoever she was, and she felt, no, she knew that this pigtailed woman could be trusted.

"It's you…"

_She will help me._

"Yes, that's right…I'm here to help you." The woman said, nodding, before moving the corners of her lips upwards in an unfamiliar emotion, holding the aforementioned _felis catus_ out. "Actually, we'll both be watching over you!"

That unfamiliar gesture the woman did with her lips…she didn't remember what it was. Yet, she, too, felt her own muscles moving, mimicking the same gesture. The motion was unfamiliar to her, but it didn't feel terrible. It felt…normal. She was at ease…

…maybe things won't be so bad.


	2. Zurückstellen: Reset

**Gedächtnisschwund**

_1 - Zurückstellen : Reset_

There was something missing.

Juni looked at herself in the mirror, a small frown forming on her face. The expression still felt strange to her, but she was getting used to it, and quite frankly, this time it was involuntary. It wasn't that she wasn't exactly pleased with how she looked, it was more because she didn't know whether to be pleased with her physical appearance or not. Her hair was unnaturally bright in colour and styled haphazardly, with parts of it sticking up in odd directions. Her clothing was mismatched and was too large for her; the shirt was so long she didn't need pants to cover up, the socks were different colours, and the shoes she had been given to wear were old and dirty. The only thing she had that actually fit her was the undergarments, but those were from the hospital. It wasn't like she had much choice in what to wear, and she certainly wasn't going to go outside in…uniform. No, that was definitely not an option, no matter how apparently ridiculous she looked in hospital hand-me downs.

In short, she looked like a dishevelled mess and couldn't do anything about it.

With a sigh, Juni attempted to flatten her hair once more, to no avail. It only stuck back up the way it was once she removed her hands, so after a moment's contemplation she decided it wasn't worth it. She walked back towards the bed, her hands still somehow on her hair, pressing down on the offending strands that refused to stay down, and took a seat. Her gaze went to her legs, swinging slightly against the bedpost. How long had it been since she woke up on this bed? A month or so, she believed, but couldn't quite remember. Her time there wasn't exactly the greatest of experiences either as each day meant new tests to complete and new doctors to see, and another problem which needed to be addressed. People from the military came to see her, asking her questions in a way that made her feel they were interrogating her instead, yet no one would answer the questions she asked, save for the occasional "you'll find the answer eventually" and the more common "we'll talk later".

The doctors and medical experts had said that it would be best if she continued her recovery in a psychiatric institution, but Kille-…no, Cammy fought against it. In fact, she made such a commotion that the doctors eventually relented and agreed that Juni _would_ be better off with someone who knew what exactly she was going through. And that meant that for the next however many years of her life, Juni would be staying with Cammy.

Which was why Juni was dressed like a beggar today. She was about to be discharged and considering she had no belongings, had to make do with what was available. They had asked her if she wanted to wear her old clothes, but she instantly refused. The uniform was worn down and stained, and she was sure some of the darkened spots were blood. There was absolutely no way she would ever think about putting those clothes on again.

But there was still something missing, so Juni forced herself up off the bed and towards the small, sealed box on a chair by the door. Her hand lingered over the box in uncertainty. Would it be smart to open the box when she wasn't even sure what she was looking for? It contained all her belongings, and after her discharge, would be sent to the military as evidence. The smart choice would be to leave it alone, but there was a nagging feeling inside her head that warned her that if she didn't open the box now, she would never get the chance to, and would regret it later in life. That didn't sound like a particularly logical argument, but it was convincing, so Juni slipped her fingers under the tape and removed the lid from the box.

Instantly, she was greeted with the sight of bright red gauntlets. Juni instantly recognized them. Cammy had been wearing them on the day she had woken up, and she vaguely remembered wearing them herself. Her mind flashed with countless other arms with the same gauntlets, but before it could go on further, Juni shook them out of her head. Those hallucinations again…

She removed the gauntlets from the box, setting them on the bed before rummaging through the other contents. The uniform was inside, with a yellow tie folded neatly in the corner. There was a hat, a brown armband and boots, which Juni briefly contemplated on wearing instead of the worn out sneakers she had been given, but decided against it. As she neared the bottom of the box, something inside gleamed, catching her attention.

After a bit of struggling, Juni managed to pull out a pair of dog tags on a chain. That was interesting…she didn't remember seeing them before.

She took the chain out of the box and held it up, holding the small piece of metal towards the light. There were words engraved on them, but some letters had been scratched out, probably from wear and tear. There were chips on the side of the tag, and some of it was bent out of shape; the tag had seen a lot of violence in its days. Squinting slightly, Juni attempted to read the remnants of the words:

**JU…I: GR…X-…6**

**198…-10-6**

She turned the tag over to reveal the engraving of a winged skeleton.

She recognized that symbol.

Juni didn't need to think twice before putting the tags back into the box. She looked at the gauntlets, still on the bed, and sighed. She really should put them back in the box as well, but there was a part of her that felt like she needed them. Taking one of the gauntlets, she clipped it onto her arm, unlocking bolts and straps without knowing what she was doing. Somehow, she managed to put it on.

...nothing felt missing anymore.

She had just gotten the second gauntlet on when the door opened. Juni turned her head to see her new caregiver walking into the room, a large smile on her face.

"Good morning, Juni!" Cammy greeted, "How are you feeling?"

"Well enough, I suppose," was the reply, Juni fidgeting with her fingers, "I'm going to stay with you, aren't I?"

The blonde nodded, dropping a duffel bag on the ground, "Yes, you are. I'm going to try my best and help you, but I can only help you if you let me, okay? Do you trust me?"

"I don't have much of a choice,"

Cammy sighed, "Just know that I _am_ here to help you, and I will _never_ let anything bad happen to you, alright? If you need anything, just ask me." There was a pause as she looked at Juni up and down, "And something tells me you need clothes."

Juni looked down at her own clothing, something she had been musing about not too long ago, "…I don't have any clothes."

There was a chuckle, "It's a good thing I come prepared. I've brought some clothes for you in my bag, you're free to borrow them until we get some clothes for you." Cammy handed Juni the bag, who took it with a confused look on her face, "You can change in the bathroom. There's a bathroom here, right?"

With a numb nod, Juni took the bag into the small washroom in the corner of the room. She was well-accustomed to the bathroom and often used it as something of a hiding place. There were days when the interviews and questioning were so relentless that the bathroom seemed to be the only place where she could sit and weep about the sorry state of her existence without anyone asking her why. As long as she proved she was still conscious while inside the bathroom, no one could touch her. She even spent a few nights curled up on the bathroom floor, especially after a particularly vicious nightmare. Stepping into the familiar safety of the bathroom, Juni changed out of the hospital's hand-me-downs, discarding the oversized shirt and mismatched socks, and replacing them with better-fitting clothing. She had to remove the thick, red gauntlets while doing so, but they were quickly returned to their places on her forearms when she had finished dressing. The white V-neck and blue denim jeans in the bag were still a little loose, but it was hardly noticeable unless one was standing right beside her. The pullover was likewise slightly too large, but unlike the old shirt, this one didn't feel quite as awkward to wear. She had to roll the sleeves up slightly, otherwise it bulged over the gauntlets. There were clean socks included, which Juni quickly placed over her feet before slipping them back into the old pair of sneakers. It seemed Cammy didn't bring extra shoes.

After changing, Juni stepped out, the old clothes folded neatly over her arm. "Is this…acceptable?" she asked quietly. Cammy, who had made herself comfortable on the bed, looked up and smiled.

"You look great! Maybe the clothes are a little big, but a lot of people find that fashionable." The blonde replied, hopping off the bed. She took the old clothes from Juni, sticking them into the bag before slinging it over her shoulder, "You've already been discharged. I took care of the paperwork earlier, so we can leave whenever you're ready." There was a pause, "Juni, why are you wearing those?" She asked, gesturing towards the bright, red gauntlets on her arms.

"It feels…proper." Juni replied, fidgeting slightly. She ran her finger over the grooves around her wrist, her eyes glued to them, "I…can take them off if it's inappropriate."

Cammy sighed and rubbed the back of her head, "I can't let you keep those; they're needed as evidence."

"B-But I…"

"I can have new ones made." The blonde replied, with a smile, "Ones that haven't been…stained…as a sign of the new life ahead of you." She walked up to Juni, placing a hand on one of the clasps that held the gauntlets together, "These…are old and dirty. You can go for a few days without them, right?"

Swallowing a lump from her throat, Juni let out a resigned sigh and lowered her arms, "Yes…I suppose…"

The clasps were released, and the gauntlets were returned to its box.

* * *

><p>After sharing her apartment with Juni for a week, there were some things Cammy noticed that she hadn't seen when she visited her at the hospital. Perhaps it was because her visits were often brief and left little time for casual talk, but living with her so-called 'sister' was quite an interesting experience.<p>

Juni was an incredibly quiet woman. She rarely spoke out loud, and anytime Cammy attempted to strike a conversation with her about mundane things ("How's the weather?" "Did you watch the telly last night?" "I heard the neighbor got evicted for tossing a mattress down the stairs") Juni never replied immediately. She would pause, as if contemplating on what to say, before finally answering with a short and quiet sentence ("It's nice." "I didn't." "That's dangerous."). She also had trouble with more complex emotions, outside of "happy", "sad" and "mad". Most days, Juni claimed to feel "nothing", but when faced with a complex emotion, Cammy likened it to her brain completely short-circuiting. And when asked about what it was she was feeling, there would be a rather long silence, before finally giving a response which was often long and extremely descriptive, all the way down to her exact heart rate.

By now, at least Juni's emotional vocabulary had expanded to include curiosity, confusion, distress and surprise. Juni was, however, determined to learn.

That was another thing Cammy learned. Juni was exceptionally interested in reading. As soon as the orange-haired amnesiac saw Cammy's small collection of books stashed in a far corner of her small apartment, Juni had been breezing through the books daily. From fiction, to literature, and the entire set of Encyclopedia Britannica that had been a gift from the Colonel one Christmas, it was rare to see Juni without a new book in her hands. She had even asked Cammy to bring daily newspapers to read, preferring the print form of news over the television. The blonde had never been particularly fond of reading, so she supposed it was a good thing her books were finally relieved from years of neglect and growing layers of dust.

There were only a few things that could take Juni's mind off reading for more than ten minutes, and it was Cammy's pet cat, Punch. Since the day the blonde took the cream-coloured tabby to the hospital, Jun had loved it. There were days when Cammy came home to see Juni with a book on her lap, and Punch perched quietly on top of her head. Juni had already gone through, and memorized, the numerous cat-care books Cammy had bought when Punch was still a kitten, which she had forgotten about after a year. The new amnesiac found them buried under the sofa and took to studying and learning everything there was to know about cat maintenance. By the end of the week, Juni had unofficially claimed responsibility for Punch's well-being.

Cammy didn't object. It was comforting to know that her _sister _was beginning to form emotional attachments. After all, Juni was still rather aloof towards Cammy, but maybe she just needed a little…help opening up.

If that meant going through the cat, then so be it.

"…Cammy."

The blonde looked up from her morning tea, hair unbraided, as Juni approached her. Punch, as usual, was deftly snaking between her legs as she walked.

"Yes, Juni?"

"…I experienced a strange emotion today and could not define it." Juni sat on a seat opposite of Cammy, "It was neither pleasant nor unpleasant, but didn't feel negative. My heart rate was at standard BPM. It was…different. As if something within me had been metaphorically filled, and I am satisfied. But…I'm not sure what it is I had done to feel such a thing. It was…akin to being satisfied after a full meal. But…not quite, as I hadn't eaten anything and in fact, am rather hungry at the moment. I was satisfied in my…chest. Does that make sense…?"

Cammy let out a small smile as she placed her tea cup back onto its saucer.

"It does. It means you're content, Juni."

"What am I feeling content about?"

"Your life as it is. You aren't completely happy yet, but it's _just right_. It's in an acceptable state. Does _that_ make sense?"

There was a pause, as a flash of confusion passed through Juni's face before she nodded slowly.

"Yes. It's acceptable. Thank you."


	3. Alptraum: Nightmare

**Gedächtnisschwund**

_2 - Alptraum : Nightmare_

"…No!"

Juni lurched forward, her hand clutching at her shirt. Fingers dug through the fabric into her skin as sweat beaded down her forehead; her lungs ached for the air that was caught in the lump within her throat. Breathing was difficult, and her heart pounded against her ribs painfully.

What was happening…? She attempted to swallow, but her dry mouth made it difficult to do. Why was she feeling like this? This fear was suffocating; like hands were wrapped around her neck and they were growing tighter by the minute. Her limbs felt numb and controlled like a puppet, and she couldn't do anything about it. Helplessness was terrifying.

After a few minutes, she had calmed down. Her heart had returned to its natural BPM, and breathing became much easier. Her obstructed throat cleared, and she could finally swallow the lump that had formed there.

A hand ran through sweaty hair as Juni looked at the clock. _1:14am_…Cammy would still be sleeping.

Slipping off the bed, Juni walked towards the window of the small bedroom, her bare feet chilled and her arms shivering. She'd been having these night terrors for days now. Always the same thing…the choking, the feeling of helplessness, the fear and the pain always appeared each night, without fail. Most of the time, she would wake up screaming, and in turn, would wake up Cammy. And no matter how early in the morning it occurred, her caretaker had stayed by her bedside until she calmed down enough to think coherently. And when all was said and done, Cammy didn't leave until Juni went back to sleep.

Every night, it happened.

Perhaps tonight, Juni would let Cammy rest. She was sure she could take care of this by herself. It was the least she could do.

The view from Cammy's bedroom window was not particularly remarkable, but to Juni, the view of the small park and apartment buildings was a significant improvement from the dreary brick wall outside her hospital room. It was still dark, and the flickering light of the streetlamps were the only things illuminating the dimly lit streets. Few people walked past, though after a few days of observation, she knew that in approximately eight to nine hours, there would be crowds of passerby's pushing each other on their way to work.

She, too, would be one of those people today. Cammy had informed her that they would be going to the Delta Red headquarters in the morning. When Juni asked for a reason why, the blonde remained silent.

It was suspicious. Whenever she asked a question, Cammy always answered to the best of her abilities. Not answering this one was odd.

A deep breath, and Juni's body had finally returned to its natural resting state. Perhaps she should return to bed and make another attempt at sleeping. But…there was the chance that she would have another night terror again. Cammy said that they would be frequent, but eventually they would cease.

It would be best if they ceased now.

* * *

><p>Visiting the London Underground was a daily, routine thing for many residents of the city. It delivered thousands upon thousands of passengers to and from destination to destination, whether it was to a mall, work, or the comfort of one's home at the end of a long day. Cammy was familiar with taking the tube; she was one of many that took it every day to get to work. Well, actually, she took the tube to Luwanda's house, from where the rest of Delta Red carpooled to the headquarters of Delta Red. After all, how awkward would it be if all someone needed to do to infiltrate the high-security facility was to take the train? Juni, on the other hand, was about to take the tube for the first time, and if she was even slightly nervous about the trip, she did an excellent job at hiding it.<p>

"Cammy, I know trains have been used as a mode of transportation for many hundreds of years," Juni began as they stood on the platform of the station, awaiting the arrival of their train, "But is this really…necessary?"

"What do you mean?" the blonde asked, placing her hands into the pockets of her coat. Unlike most days when she took the tube, today she had forgone her familiar red trench coat and replaced it with a brown leather bomber jacket, trimmed at the collar with fur. She wasn't technically working, was her train of thought, so there really was no need to travel in military fatigues. And Juni didn't _have_ any military fatigues, so she wore a simple sweater with denim trousers. Juni needed a bit more variety in her clothes, Cammy thought, but fashion wasn't that important right now.

"A small, enclosed space, travelling at high speeds, full of people…" Juni continued, pulling the hood of the sweater over her head, "It doesn't seem safe."

Cammy chuckled as the train pulled into the station, slowing to a stop as the crowds on the platform inched towards the opening doors, "Trust me, Juni, the tube is perfectly safe. Thousands of people ride it daily without incident." Grabbing Juni's hand, the blonde skilfully weaved through the masses, pulling her sister behind her until they were both safely within the train car. There was an empty seat by the window, which Cammy motioned for Juni to take.

"Don't worry, alright?" the blonde reassured as she held onto a bar affixed to the seat as the doors closed and the train slowly began to move forward, "I do this every day."

Juni nodded, but Cammy could tell she wouldn't stop worrying until they arrived at their destination. Her sister was a bit of a worrywart, not to the point of paranoia, but Cammy thought it probably had something to do with the books Juni was reading. Apparently, _everything_ was dangerous given the right circumstances, and Juni had taken it upon herself to ensure no such disaster happened. Just the night before, she expressed her worries over travelling by train, as she had read a book in which the train station ended up being a portal to another world, and then inevitably crashed and killed most of the main characters. Cammy spent quite some time afterwards explaining that the _Chronicles of Narnia_ involved creatures that hadn't been scientifically proven, and as such, was only a work of fantasy.

So, Juni was a little impressionable. She did just wake up with no memories and no semblance of a personality, so it made sense for her to pick things up from her day to day life. And considering for the past few weeks, the only things Juni interacted with was Punch, Cammy and countless books, well…no one said it would be easy. And really, it wasn't their biggest problem.

Cammy was snapped out of her thoughts when she felt someone step beside her, their hands reaching towards the same bar she had been holding onto.

"Oh, thank you so much, dear,"

The blonde looked around and blinked as Juni nodded quietly and took her place beside Cammy as an elderly passenger made herself comfortable in the seat that had just been vacated. That was…surprising. Did Juni just offer her seat to another passenger? Cammy smiled, watching as her sister focused her gaze at her shoes.

"It was nice of you to give your seat to the lady," she remarked, as Juni's shoulder twitched slightly. Cammy assumed it was a shrug, but Juni still had a hard time expressing herself, so it could've been anything.

"It was logical," was the quiet reply, "The chances of me falling while standing on a moving object is significantly less than hers..."

"It was still a nice gesture to have given it to her,"

Juni said nothing else, turning her head away from Cammy as her face became partially obscured by the shadow of her hood. Cammy smiled slightly as she shook her head, turning her gaze back towards the direction of the various advertisements that littered the train car. There were only five stations between her, well, _their_ apartment and Luwanda's, so the trip really shouldn't take too long.

And after a few minutes, the doors of the train opened as Cammy pulled Juni out of the car.

"See? Now that wasn't so bad, was it?"

The other girl remained silent as she followed Cammy up the stairs leading to the station's exit.

"…I suppose not."

With another smirk, Cammy tilted her head towards a street, motioning for Juni to follow her, "Luwanda lives down here,"

"All the buildings here are taller than the ones in the near vicinity of our own," Juni remarked in slight awe as her hood fell off from staring up at the countless skyscrapers that surrounded them. Cammy had to tug on her hand to return her attention to walking.

"Well, we're in that part of London with the tall buildings," Cammy answered, nearly dragging her sister towards Luwanda's building. But Juni didn't seem like she was interested in moving.

"Cammy, I want to look at the buildings,"

"Juni, we have to meet Luwanda before we can go to HQ,"

"But I want to see the buildings."

With an exasperated sigh, the blonde looped her arm around Juni's shoulder, momentarily catching her attention.

"You do realize that Luwanda lives in one of them, right? And we're going _up_ to her house to meet her?"

Brown eyes grew wide, "We are?"

A genuine nod later, and Juni allowed herself to be led towards Lita Luwanda's high-rise flat. Hands in the pockets of her coat, Cammy tried not to notice her sister's weary posture. As if she hadn't slept properly the night before. Juni yawned quietly as they rode in silence up the elevator, rubbing her eyes with her hands.

"Are you alright, Juni?"

"Mmh…" was the reply.

"You don't seem fine to me."

"I am fine."

"Did you sleep last night?"

A pause, "I did."

"How many hours?"

"…three hours and fifteen minutes."

Cammy sighed. She knew it. Juni had a nightmare again. By the time Cammy had woken up and rushed into the bedroom, Juni was already awake, shivering in fear, brown eyes filled with horror and hopelessness. The first night it happened, the blonde had been shocked that the nightmares had begun so quickly. Although Cammy herself experienced nightmares herself, they didn't start until her first encounter with Shadaloo operatives.

In fact, said Shadaloo operative was another Doll.

But Juni had only been out for a little over a month, and her nightmares had already begun?

It concerned Cammy that Juni would have to deal with her amnesia, and the nightmares, at the same time. It had been difficult to cope with memory loss by itself, and if the nightmares Juni was having was anything like the ones she had, then having both consecutively would definitely strain her mind.

The elevator chimed as it slowed to a stop, the sign above the door reading _17_. The two exited as Cammy tilted her head to the left, motioning for Juni to follow her as she walked down the apartment hallway, which Juni obediently did. The apartment number was 1711.

"…Cammy, what's she doing?"

The younger blonde sighed, scratching the back of her head with an embarrassed chuckle as they stood in front of Lita Luwanda's flat. "I…really don't know."

Luwanda blinked, before turning her gaze back to the outstretched hand, mere centimeters away from her face.

"I have read that one offers their hand to a stranger upon meeting them for the first time," Juni muttered, her fingers twitching as they felt the air Luwanda exhaled, "Is this incorrect?"

"Not quite," Luwanda said as friendly as she could, pushing Juni's hand down to chest level, "When you offer your hand for a handshake, don't bring it too close to the other person's face. That's an invasion of personal space." Juni nodded robotically. "And you put your hand at this height; bend the elbow like this…"

And after a moment, the once-intrusive hand was in proper hand-shaking position.

"This…is correct?"

"Exactly," was the reply, before the older blonde finally accepted Juni's hand in a firm handshake, "…we'll work on the shaking part later. Come in; we have some time before we hit HQ."

The lieutenant stepped aside, tilting her head in a gesturing motion for her two guests to come in. Cammy had been at Luwanda's flat countless times, and even spent most of her nights crashing at her friend's house, especially if she was too tired for the trek home after a long mission. Without a second thought, she walked into the home, haphazardly kicking her boots off by the door. Juni, on the other hand, was a little more hesitant and followed slowly, untying the laces of her shoes and neatly placing them by the wall before proceeding inside.

"Hey look at that," Luwanda said with a smirk as she closed the door, "Like a good houseguest. You could learn something from her, eh, Cammy?"

"Bugger off," she replied, blowing a raspberry as she flopped down on the sofa, propping her feet on the coffee table.

"It's so tall!" The two blondes turned to each other, before looking at Juni, who by that time had pressed herself against the large wall of windows of the apartment, "Everything looks small…" she turned her head towards Cammy, "May we live here?"

"Juni, we have our own house!" Cammy replied as Luwanda stifled a giggle, "Our house is good enough, isn't it?"

"Our home is not as tall as this one and not as large," came the answer, as Juni remained fixed to her spot, "The residents upstairs enjoy moving their furniture on a daily basis, and the residents in the unit to our right enjoy reproducing on a daily basis, too."

"_Juni_!"

"…am I incorrect?" By this time, Luwanda had burst out in complete laughter, causing the orange-haired amnesiac to tilt her head slightly in confusion, "Maybe I was incorrect."

"Heavens, Juni, you can't just point things like that out to people!" Cammy replied, her cheeks flushing pink at the mere thought of what activity their supposedly rambunctious neighbours could be doing, "It's impolite!"

"Oh…I will keep my observations to myself, then…" Juni muttered to herself, before turning her attention back towards the view from the window.

Luwanda snorted, controlling her laughter into a small giggle, "Maybe you _should_ move out, Cammy. Your little sardine tin can't be big enough for two people."

"We're not talking about this right now," the younger blonde crossed her arms with a huff, "Besides, it's almost time to leave for HQ."

"Oh bloody hell; it's half-past eleven. We should get moving before traffic sets in. That's a pain in the arse I never want to have."

It took ten minutes to pry Juni away from the window with the promise of a larger window on a taller building.

* * *

><p>Juni pulled the blindfold that covered her eyes down to her neck. Blinking a few times, her eyes quickly adjusted to her sudden change of vision. Everything was dim and bleary. Metal surrounded her, panels upon panels of silver bolted securely to the walls, floor, and even the ceiling. There was not a single trace of furniture or decoration. Her heart began to beat fast as her head began to spin; a nauseating feeling washed over her entire body. Falling to one knee, Juni placed a hand on her forehead, brows furrowed in confusion at her surroundings.<p>

Like a prison cell.

"...Cammy...? Why...doesn't this room have any windows...?"


	4. Schatten: Shadows

**Gedächtnisschwund**

_3 – Schatten : Shadows_

Shuffled cards were placed on a table, a small light hung above, and a few candles illuminated the otherwise darkened room. Shadows filled every corner of the space as a hand appeared, from behind the table, drawing a card from the top of the deck, and placing it face up on the table.

"The Fool. It is the time for new beginnings, and a new adventure is about to begin. Where the Fool shall go, one might wonder. What do the cards foresee?"

A second card was flipped over, "The Tower," the voice muttered, "A peaceful life has been overthrown by catastrophe and tragedy. A loss has been undertaken."

Another card was turned over and placed beside the first, "Death. What a curious card. Something positive comes from a card such as this, perhaps much like the life of our beloved Fool. Destruction and tragedy she has lived through will lead to a rebirth and renewal. A second chance and a life will be changed, perhaps for the better."

The fourth card was drawn. There was a curious hum as it, too, was set on the table, "The Wheel of Fortune, reversed. Ah. Our Fool has the power to control her life, but will she be able to gather her courage to change it? It certainly won't be an easy journey, will it, child? What fate do the cards have in store for you?"

There was a small sigh, as a hand waved over the cards set on the table. Glowing purple, they floated into the air, hovering momentarily as the figure within the shadows looked at her work, "Yours will not be an easy journey, little Fool," she said, before the slowly moved and returned to its deck, "Your destiny is not mine to predict. Perhaps it is you who should draw the last card."

Rose stood up from the table, placing a gentle hand on the deck, "It seems I will be visiting England, once more."

* * *

><p>It was dark. And it was very cold. The metal sent chills down Juni's spine as she tucked her knees to her chest, curled up in a small corner of the room. She didn't know how long she had been crying out for, but her throat was dry and raspy. She called out and asked for some water, but wherever she was, it seemed she was trapped there, and no one could hear her. She didn't even know where she was, or how she got there. The last thing she remembered was looking out the window, from the house in the tall building. And Cammy, and her companion Luwanda, were both there, too. But they weren't there anymore, and Juni was at a loss for an explanation.<p>

Could…she be dead? Perhaps this was the afterlife, and she had died and this was her punishment. She had read that good people went to a wonderful place in the sky, and it was called Heaven, and evil people were sent to a fiery punishment in a place beneath the Earth, called Hell. This room was neither of those things, so perhaps she wasn't dead after all. She wasn't even sure if she was a good person or a bad one…but it still didn't explain where she was.

She sniffed. She didn't want to be there. She wanted to be home, with Punch, and a new book, or even a newspaper. She wanted to be in bed, where it was warm under the blanket. And she wanted to drink water, and eat food, and walk and see people, and look out windows and watch the clouds in the sky. She'd even take the train again, if she had to. She'd rather take the train again than spend another moment in the metal room.

"_**My dear Juni,"**_ a voice echoed in the room. Juni's head shot up as she scrambled to her feet. That voice was…familiar…

"_**How can you wish for home, when it was you who betrayed me and left?"**_

She looked around. The voice…no one else was in the room, but it felt like someone was watching her. "W-Who's there?" she called out, running to the center of the room, her eyes darting from left to right as she scanned the area, "Show yourself!"

Her spine stiffened as she felt someone's breath behind her neck. Swallowing a lump in her throat, Juni clenched her fists as the voice whispered softly into her ear, _**"You can't escape me, my dear, sweet Doll."**_

Spinning around, Juni's eyes grew wide as a massive darkness fell over her, face obscured but she could see the outline of a large, maniacal grin from beneath the shadow of the figure's hat. The man was large and well built, a deep blue cape draped over massive shoulders and a muscular frame. A pale purple glow surrounded his body as the he took a step forward, causing the smaller woman to stumble backwards.

"_**Do I scare you, my dear?" **_he asked, his deep voice echoing throughout the room. Each word reverberated within Juni's chest, causing her to clutch her shirt tightly with her hand. It was the same feeling she felt when she dreamt…the terror and fear that would wash over her entire body and threaten to pull her down with it. _**"There's no need to be afraid…come to me…"**_

She continued to walk backwards, stumbling over her own feet as the man was unrelenting in his advance. His cape fluttered behind him, and his grin never left his face as he slowly approached. _**"Don't you know who I am?"**_

"Go away…" Juni stuttered out, as her back pressed up against the wall of the room. She could feel the chill of the metal through her shirt, but it was nothing compared to the overpowering dread that was clawing its way out from the pits of her stomach. "Go away…leave me alone…"

The man stood right in front of her, his massive form towering over her as a purple glow appeared in his pupil-less eyes, _**"You will return to me. And when you do…you will never escape again."**_

His hand reached for her throat, his fist glowing a bright purple, emanating evil and horror that Juni could feel through her skin. His grin grew wider, as a painful pounding inside her head threatened to split her brain in two. She could feel her heart pounding within her chest, against her ribs, and a curious feeling that was growing inside of her. Her eyes felt heavy, and a voice inside her mind told her it was time to sleep. Everything will be alright. She was in his care, now, and he would make everything better.

Suddenly, the weariness that threatened to overcome her shattered, and was replaced by pure hatred and anger. Juni's eyes grew wide, her brows furrowing as she grit her teeth.

"_**Juni, it's time to come home."**_ The man said, but before he could continue, Juni let out a cry, her own brown eyes flashing purple as she reeled her arm for a punch. Purple energy burst from her body, pushing the imposing figure away from her as she sank to her knees. _**"What did you just do…!?"**_

But she had long since stopped listening. Her heart rate was up. Her breaths were deep and heavy. With a fierce look in her eyes, Juni stood up once more, and raced towards the shadowed man.

"Leave me alone!" she screamed, jumping high into the air, her leg extended as she descended in a fierce kick, "_Cannon Strike!_"

Whoever the man was, she was not going to let him control her. She was free, and she was not returning to wherever that man wanted her to return to. _No_…she felt her anger growing inside of her as she went for the kick, and her eyes were focused on one thing; the target. The man was her target. And he was a threat meant to be eliminated. If she couldn't do that…then she was worthle–

"Juni!"

Blinking slightly, Juni looked down, her eyes meeting the narrowed eyes of a muscular man, with long blonde hair beneath a red beret and a uniform that resembled Cammy's. The man's arms were crossed, catching her Cannon strike between his forearms before her foot could hit his scarred face. Loosening his grip, he let Juni's foot loose as she resorted to a back flip to regain her bearings.

"Who…who are you…?" she asked as she landed on the ground in a crouch, her eyes obscured by her bangs, "Why are you attacking me…?"

"What?" the man asked, his voice heavily accented, and completely different from the one she had just heard seconds ago, "I just came into the room. You were pressed up against the wall, but when I tried to walk towards you, you attacked." He explained, keeping his distance.

"…you…you attacked me," Juni muttered, "You were wearing a cape…"

The man was silent for a moment, before slowly approaching, "I'm going to come to you, alright? I'm not going to hurt you." He crouched down, beside her, gently offering his gloved hand, "My name is Keith Wolfman. I'm Cammy's superior, and I've been ordered to check up on you."

"Why am I here?" the girl asked without a second's delay, "I want to see Cammy…I-I want to go home…"

Wolfman sighed, "I know you do…but I can't let you leave yet." Juni took his hand and stood up, just as the much larger man did as well, "What do you remember?"

Silence. "I don't remember anything," she replied, "I remember looking at the clouds…and then I was here."

"You don't remember attacking McCoy?" Wolfman's brows furrowed, "You don't remember how you got here?"

"I-I attacked someone!?" Juni whispered, jerking her hand away from Wolfman's as she stepped away from him, "That's not possible…I can't…I-I…" Juni stammered in disbelief, falling to her knees. Pressing her hands against the cool metal floor, she kept her eyes down and her voice low, "…what…what is happening to me…?"

The colonel took a deep breath and turned around, the metal panels on the wall shifting to the side to reveal a door, "I'll try and see if they'll let you speak to Cammy, okay? For the meantime, I need you to stay here to be safe. Is that okay?"

There was no response.

"…I'll be back soon." And with that, Wolfman left, the plates shifting back into positing, locking Juni inside alone once more.

* * *

><p>Wolfman removed his hat, running his hand through his hair as he turned to face his subordinate. Cammy's jaw was tight, her fingers tightly rolled into fists, but her eyes were calm and cool. He'd been around her for a few years now to know that she was panicked and worried on the inside, but refused to let it show.<p>

"What happened?" Cammy asked, approaching the larger man, "Is Juni alright? Why was she screaming?"

The man shook his head, placing his beret back on his head, "I'm not quite sure what happened. When I came inside, she was against the wall, staring into space. And when I tried to approach her, she suddenly became aggressive and attacked." He rubbed his chin slightly, "She seemed different. Like she was in a trance, but in the end, she snapped out of it."

"Did you ask her about McCoy?"

"I did. She doesn't remember attacking him."

Cammy's eyes grew, "What?"

"In fact, she said the last thing she remembered was looking at clouds."

The blonde woman frowned, "She was looking at clouds in Luwanda's apartment. But at least four hours passed since then and when she attacked McCoy." Her shoulders slumped, "Could…could she still be under the influence of…" she trailed off.

Bison's control over the minds of his Dolls was absolute, or so he thought. Breaking out of that control resulted in serious damages, especially with their memories. But since she was the only one to have successfully done it, so far, her experience was the only one available to compare to Juni's. As it was, the two of them have been quite different; Cammy's memories returned gradually and over time, and the nightmares didn't come until at least a year after she'd woken up with amnesia. But Juni's was a lot more aggressive. Only a little over two months had passed, and she was already getting night terrors. And she was still awkward and often lapsed into monotonous speech, unlike Cammy, who, aside from general confusion, acted like a regular human since the beginning.

Could there be another explanation? Why was Juni acting like this? The only conclusion Cammy could come to was the simple fact that Bison's grasp on Juni's mind wasn't completely broken, and the Psycho Drive still held some influence over her. If that was the case, then it would be very problematic for everyone involved.

Cammy sighed. "I don't know what to do, Colonel. I just want her to be safe…"

"She asked if she could see you," Wolfman said, crossing his arms, "I know it's not protocol, but she is your sister, and if she'll talk, she'll most likely only talk to you."

The blonde nodded, removing her hands from her jacket's pockets, "I'll see if I can talk to her."

"Try to make it quick, alright?"

With a salute, the panels of the metallic room slid open, as Wolfman stepped aside to let Cammy in. With a deep breath, she walked inside, the panels closing behind her. This was Delta Red's high-security containment room, where dangerous people were kept until they were moved to the actual cells in the lower floors. The room was used mostly for interrogation, and escaping it was extremely difficult, if not completely impossible, without help from someone on the outside.

When the room was completely sealed, Cammy turned towards the center of the room. Juni sat on the ground, a hand on her forehead, shoulders shaking.

"Juni?" she whispered, slowly walking towards her sister. Seeing her in such a state made Cammy's heart sink to her stomach, and she desperately hoped Juni was alright.

"…C-Cammy…?"

Without a second thought, Cammy raced over, falling to her knees as she wrapped her hands tightly around Juni. The orange-haired girl buried her head in her shoulder, her hands tightly gripping Cammy's jacket as she sobbed quietly.

"It's going to be alright…I promise it's going to be alright…"


	5. Frühlingsblumen : Spring Flowers

**Gedächtnisschwund**

_4 – Frühlingsblumen : Spring Flowers_

"I don't know what's wrong with her, Chun,"

Cammy balanced the phone in the crook of her neck, fiddling with the can opener. Punch pawed at her leg, mewling impatiently, "She's locked herself in the room for nearly a week now, and she won't talk to me. She won't even look at me! Am I doing something wrong?" She pried the top of the can open with a fork, dumping its contents into a small bowl before setting it on the floor where the hungry kitten began to chow down.

"Well…" Chun-Li began, "Maybe she just needs time. I can't even imagine how terrifying it must be to have hallucinations of Bison out of nowhere. Does she even know who he is?"

"No, I haven't had the chance to explain it to her," Bending down, the blonde removed the phone from her neck, holding it with one hand as her free hand gently scratched the cat's ear, "And with what's happening, I'm not sure it'll be a good idea to tell her what happened."

Chun-Li let out a hum, "Well, it's a good thing you called me! I know a thing or two about getting someone to open up."

"Are you sure, Chun? I trust you and all, but this is my sister, not a non-compliant criminal."

"All Interpol officers have training in psychology. We deal with hostages and traumatized victims too, remember? Don't worry about it."

Cammy sighed, "So you'll be here by tomorrow?"

"My flight leaves tonight," Chun-Li began, "It'll take about twelve hours, so I'll be there by tomorrow afternoon. And don't worry, I already booked the hotel."

"Wait, hotel?"

A chuckle, "Come on, Cammy, did you think I'd be staying at your place?"

"You always stay at my flat when you visit!"

"That was before Juni came. I'd hate to intrude, and hey, maybe it's a sign you need a bigger apartment! Anyways, I should probably finish packing. I'll call you once I've landed!"

Cammy ended the call, tossing the phone onto the nearby sofa with a sigh. She hated bothering Chun-Li, but she was getting desperate and she was running out of ideas. She tried offering food, books, going to the theatre…even getting Oz to mewl by the door in an attempt to get Juni out of her room. So far, all those attempts had been in vain. Wolfman had advised her to keep her distance and let Juni calm down after the incident at Delta Red, but this was extremely worrying. In her early days, even with her amnesia, she never acted like this. Why was Juni's case so different from hers? What was it about their…experiences that led to such different outcomes?

She heard the doorknob turn. Looking up, Cammy saw the bedroom door slowly open, as Juni stepped out with an empty glass. Her hair was disheveled, with orange strands sticking up haphazardly, as though it hadn't been brushed in days. Her eyes were tired, dark shadows beneath them told of numerous sleepless nights. She wore a large, wrinkled shirt, at least five sizes too big, that draped over her tiny frame, and shorts that barely peeked under the oversized shirt.

Her bare feet padded on the floor, making her way towards the kitchen. She didn't even spare a glance towards Cammy, still crouching by Punch, who by now had finished his meal and purred at Cammy's slowly petting hand.

"Good– Good evening, Juni!" Cammy greeted with a strained smile, "What do you want for supper tonight?"

Juni placed the empty glass in the sink, before turning towards the bedroom without another word. Cammy watched as the door closed once more, listening to the familiar click of the lock. She sighed, turning towards the peach-coloured cat beside her.

"I don't suppose you have any idea how to get her out?"

Punch mewled.

"I didn't think so."

* * *

><p>Juni shuffled beneath the blankets, finding a comfortable position to curl into. Cammy had knocked on the door earlier, telling her that she'd be out for a while to pick up a friend from the airport. Juni didn't reply. She thought it'd be foolish of Cammy to bring another stranger to the house, especially if she intended to introduce her to Juni. She'd already hurt Cammy's other friends…why would she bring more? It was illogical. She'd kept away from Cammy for her safety, because the less she interacted with her, the better it would be, but she didn't seem to understand that.<p>

She felt Punch hop onto the bed as she closed her eyes. The cat pawed around before curling up, sinking slightly into the mattress. Maybe Cammy wanted to stay with her friend instead of there, with her. That would make sense. If she were Cammy, she wouldn't want to spend time with her either. All she did was hurt people, after all. Juni sighed. Maybe.

Punch purred quietly before dozing off into a nap, and Juni followed soon after.

"_What are you doing? Get up! Get up!"_

With a quiet groan, Juni shuffled in bed, with the intention of ignoring the strange, feminine-sounding voice. It was just another hallucination; if she kept her eyes closed, they'd eventually go away. They always did. The fact that the voice was different didn't matter.

"_Get up! How can you sleep like this?" _

"_Wake up! Wake up and help us!"_

Slowly, Juni's eyes opened, her brows furrowed in confusion. That was strange. There was more than one voice? That never happened before…most of the time it was just the man in red. But now…she was hallucinating girls? And…why did they sound so familiar…?

Poking her head out of the blanket, the amnesiac's eyes grew wide as she stared at the blue-clad figures that suddenly filled her room. They were wearing the same navy bodysuit; the one she used to wear, the one packed in a box and sent to Delta Red. They wore matching red gauntlets, and yellow ties, and blue caps on their heads. And they were all staring at her.

She swallowed a lump in her throat. "Who are you? What do you want from me?"

One of the girls, with large, pink hair in pigtails, stood beside the bed. She brought her face close to Juni's, yet for some reason, the details were…blurry. Juni blinked.

"_What do you mean 'who are you'? Don't you know who we are?" _The pink haired hallucination asked with a tilt of her head.

Another one, with darkened skin, crossed her arms with a huff. Her face was also blurry. _"I think she's forgotten all about us."_

"_That's not a good thing." _A third, with red hair, added.

"Go away." Juni spoke up, pulling the blanket over her head with her free hand, "I-I just want to sleep."

There was a collective sigh, _"I guess we'll just die." _

"_She's lucky that she doesn't have to go through what we have to go through."_

"_It's also selfish."_

"_She doesn't want to help us."_

"_She's going to let us die, isn't she?"_

"_Why aren't you helping us?"_

"_Why won't you help us?"_

"_Help us."_

"_Juni, help us."_

Beneath the blanket, Juni grit her teeth, her hands pressing against her ears. She curled her knees to her chest, tucking her head between as she shivered slightly. "Stop it…stop it…!"

Suddenly, the voices…disappeared.

She could still feel her heart pounding against her chest, her brain throbbed painfully within her skull as she slowly lowered her hands. She still didn't understand why she had to suffer through the nightmares and hallucinations. Why her…? Wasn't her amnesia enough…? And those girls...they were familiar. As though she'd seen them somewhere before…but she couldn't remember where…or who they were. Why were they wearing that same blue uniform that she had also once wore? Where did the uniform come from, anyway?

And why did they want her to help them…? Juni couldn't help anyone. She only hurt people.

After a few moments, the pain had ebbed to a dull headache. With another groan, she sat up, a hand reaching over to her forehead. Fingers pressing against her temple, Juni frowned, trying to will the throbbing headache away. Punch yawned and stretched, rolling onto his back and opened his paws as he continued to nap happily. She wished she was a cat. Cats seemed so happy. They never had any problems. They didn't have to worry about memories, or forgetting, or hallucinations…all they really needed were some food and a good belly rub.

"–well, in any case, I really hope you can get her to open up a little. If I can find out what's wrong…"

That was Cammy. What was she doing here? Juni crawled off the bed, pressing her ear against the door. Peculiar…since Punch was in the room taking a nap, her speaking was an indicator of the presence of a guest. Why would she bring a guest to the house? Did Cammy not learn already that they would get hurt?

She reached up and made sure the door was locked. Good. It was. And it would stay that way.

"You know I'll always be here to help. Where is she?"

The amnesiac's eyes grew wide. That voice…why was it so familiar? Her headache intensified as Juni grit her teeth, her hand once again reaching for her head. There was a feeling growing inside of her…a rush of unexplainable feelings that welled from deep within her stomach. Her heart pounded against her chest as she curled up on the ground against the door. Not again…not another one…

"She's locked herself in the room."

Oh no…no…she shouldn't knock…she can't kno–

There was a knock. "Hello, Juni? Are you in there? I'm Chun-Li, Cammy's friend."

Chun…Li…

"_Kill her."_

Those voices…those girls…

"_Eliminate her."_

"_Terminate her."_

"_She is an enemy."_

"_She has compromised your safety."_

"_She is dangerous."_

"_She cannot be trusted."_

"_Do not trust her."_

"_She will hurt you."_

"_Kill her."_

_**KILL HER.**_

Eyes clamped shut, Juni groaned slightly, too busy to notice as her tightly fisted hand began to glow.

* * *

><p>Chun-Li pursed her lips and lowered her hand, turning slightly towards Cammy. "She's not answering."<p>

The blonde sighed, uncrossing her arms, "I didn't think she would. I'm pretty sure she won't open it for a stranger if she won't even open it for me. Come on, I'll make you some tea, and we can talk about…" She trailed off, her brows furrowing, "Chun, do you feel that?"

"I do. It feels a lot like–"

"Move!" Cammy reached out and grabbed Chun-Li's arm, pulling her away from the door mere seconds before it flew off its hinges as a very familiar figure burst from the now opened room. The blonde's eyes grew wide.

Juni stood by the hole where the bedroom door had once been. There was a dull purple aura that surrounded her, wisps of Psycho Power pouring out from her body as her eyes turned towards the two women. They were glowing.

"Cammy…" Chun-Li whispered, taking a step back, "What's going on?"

"This is what happened at Delta Red," Cammy replied, clenching her fist, "This is exactly what sent McCoy to the hospital, but this is not my sister."

"Watch out!"

The two of them leapt to the side as Juni lunged forward in something similar to a Spiral Arrow. Skidding to a stop, she crouched low, turning her head towards the women, before slowly standing back up.

Her brown eyes flashed purple, "_Target acquired._"

"Wait, target? What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

Juni disappeared in a flurry of movement, catching Cammy off guard. She didn't recognize that technique, and it certainly wasn't in her arsenal. She assumed all the Dolls had the same combat maneuvers, so where did Juni learn how to teleport?

"Don't get distracted, Cammy," Chun-Li snapped the blonde out of her thoughts as she moved to stand at her back, "We'll have to restrain Juni when she reappears. Maybe then we'll figure out what's happening with her."

Before Cammy could nod and reply there was another flurry of movement as a foot made impact with Chun-Li's face with surprising strength, sending the Interpol officer flying and crashing right into the window. "Chun!"

Barely taking a moment to glance back at her sister, Juni leapt out the window.

* * *

><p><em>Please forgive this terrible chapter. I had this half-written, but then stuff happened and I forgot where I was going with it. So I'll just post it now and hopefully the next update will make more sense. <em>


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